At ii p.m. on 30th December, 1966, news was received that there was a sick man on board the British ship Monks-garth which would be arriving at Mount's Bay at about 7.30 a.m. the following morning. The life-boat Solomon Browne was launched at 6 a.m. in a gale force south westerly wind and very rough sea. She proceeded to Newlyn where a doctor was embarked and then continued to the Monksgarth. She went alongside the ship, one mile south of Penzance, and advised the master to anchor nearer the shore in smoother water. After the doctor had boarded the vessel he informed the coxswain that the patient could not be found and it was feared he had fallen overboard.

The life-boat immediately carried out a search of the ship's course for two hours without success. At 10.15 the honorary secretary recalled the life-boat which arrived back at Newlyn at 11.15..